Toy building kit with angularly displaceable coupling means with restoring means

ABSTRACT

A TOY BUILDING KIT INCLUDES AT LEAST TWO BUILDING BLOCKS EACH OF WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE UNDERCUT CONNECTING PORTION. A COUPLING ARRANGEMENT IS PROVIDED FOR COUPLING THE TOY BUILDING BLOCKS TO ONE ANOTHER WITH FREEDOM OF RELATIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT. IT INCLUDES TWO COUPLING SECTIONS, EACH OF WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE CONNECTING PORTION WHICH CAN MATE WITH AN UNDERCUT CONNECTING PORTION OF ONE OF THE TOY BUILDING BLOCKS AND A JOINT WHICH JOINS THE COUPLING SECTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THEY HAVE FREEDOM OF RELATIVE ANGULAR   DISPLACEMENT FROM A REST POSITION TO A DISPLACED POSITION WHEREBY BUILDING BLOCKS CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE SECTIONS ARE SIMILARLY ANGULARLY DISPLACED. DISPLACING MEANS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECTIONS AND IS OPERATIVE FOR RESTORING THE SAME TO THE AFOREMENTIONED REST POSITION WHEN THEY UNDERGO ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT FROM THE REST POSITION TO A DISPLACED POSITION AND THE FORCE EFFECTING SUCH ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT IS TERMINATED.

March 2, 1971 HSCHER v 3,566,530

TOY BUILDING KIT WITH ANGULARLY DISPLACEABLE COUPLING MEANS WITH RESTORING MEANS Filed Sept. 30, 1968 Inventor:

ART 2' F/SC/MF/Z,

United States Patent O Int. Cl. A63h 33/08 US. CI. 4623 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy building kit includes at least two building blocks each of which is provided with at least one undercut connecting portion. A coupling arrangement is provided for coupling the toy building blocks to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement. It includes two coupling sections, each of which is provided with at least one connecting portion which can mate with an undercut connecting portion of one of the toy building blocks and a joint which joins the coupling sections to one another so that they have freedom of relative angular displacement from a rest position to a displaced position whereby building blocks connected to the respective sections are similarly angularly displaced. Displacing means is associated with the sections and is operative for restoring the same to the aforementioned rest position when they undergo angular displacement from the rest position to a displaced position and the force effecting such angular displacement is terminated.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS A related application was filed on Sept. 21, 1966 under the title Toy Building Kit in my name and under Ser. No. 580,943; it is now U.'S. Pat. No. 3,415,008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a toy building kit in general, and specifically to coupling means for coupling blocks of a toy building kit to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement.

In my aforementioned copending application I have set forth such coupling means which can be coupled to building blocks also constituting a part of the kit. These building blocks are provided with undercut grooves and/or projecting portions and the coupling means itself is provided with mating coupling portions, that is coupling portions which may mate with whatever coupling means is provided on the building blocks. Thereby the building blocks may be secured to the coupling means and, when the latter is angularly displaced, as set forth in my aforementioned copending application, the building blocks are similarly angularly displaced with reference to one another. The type of building kit here under discussion is highly versatile, and its versatility has been greatly enhanced by provision of my coupling means which is discussed in my aforementioned application.

However, I have found that the versatility of the arrangement can still be further improved. Specifically,

Patented Mar. 2, 1971 "ice the coupling means disclosed in my aforementioned application consists of two coupling sections which are joined for pivotal movement with reference to one another. However, once pivotally moved, that is angularly displaced with reference to one another, they will remain in the position to which they have been so displaced. This is a highly advantageous arrangement for general use where it is necessary that the building blocks connected to the respective coupling sections be angularly displaced with reference to one another by such pivotal movement of the sections relative to one another. However, there are applications where it is desirable that the coupling means be still more versatile, namely applications where the building blocks connected to the coupling means are desired to be brought to relatively displaced angular positions under the influence of an external force but are required to return to their initial positions when this external force is terminated or decreases below a certain level. Then, there are applications where it is desirable that a constant and non-varying force be exerted upon building blocks or groups of blocks, for instance where a current take-off is to be pressed with constant and nonvarying force against a current-carrying rail of a toy railroad or the like constructed with my kit.

For these particular uses the coupling means disclosed in my aforementioned copending application is not suitable. I have found, however, that it is possible to so improve this coupling means as to make it suitable for these purposes.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to en hance still further the versatility of the toy construction kit disclosed in my aforementioned copending application.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a toy building kit therefore of the type disclosed in my aforementioned copending application but which includes a coupling means capable of providing the advantages which I have outlined above as desirable.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide such a toy building kit which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and which will provide a child playing with the kit with maximum versatility and stimulation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a toy building kit which includes at least two toy building blocks each of which is provided with at least one undercut connecting portion. Coupling means is provided for coupling the toy building blocks to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement and includes two coupling sections each of which has at least one connecting portion adapted to mate with an undercut connecting portion of one of the toy building blocks so that the latter may be fixedly secured to the respective coupling section. Joint means are provided as a part of the coupling means and joins the coupling sections to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement from a rest position to a displaced position. Finally, I provide displacing means which is associated with these sections and which is operative for restoring the same to the aforementioned rest position in response to angular displacement of the sections from this rest position to a displaced position and subsequent termination of the force which has effected such displacement or decrease of the force below a given level.

My displacing means will be in form of a torsion spring, and any torsion spring is suitable for this purpose, including a spiral spring the opposite ends of which are each connected to one of the displaceable sections, or a torsion bar.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single figure illustrates in partly sectioned elevational view an exemplary embodiment of my invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail it will be seen that I have illustrated two toy building blocks B in partial dot-dash outline. These toy building blocks, whose undercut connecting portions are clearly visible and shown to be mating with complementary undercut connecting portions provided on the coupling means according to the present invention, are clearly disclosed in my aforementioned copending application and are therefore not described or illustrated in detail here.

The drawing shows clearly, however, how they are to be connected to the coupling means and how they will be angularly displaceable relative to one another as a result of being connected with this coupling means.

The coupling means consists of two coupling sections 1 and 2 and the section 1 carries an undercut coupling head 4 whereas the section 2 is provided with an undercutcoupling groove 5. Each of the coupling portions 4 and 5 is adapted to mate with a complementary mating coupling portion provided on the block B, as diagrammatically illustrated and more clearly discussed in my aforementioned copending application.

The ends of the coupling sections 1 and 2 which face one another are provided with substantially plate-shaped projecting portions 6 and 7, respectively, each of which is provided with a transverse opening or bore 11, the bores 11 being axially aligned as illustrated. Each of the portions 6 and 7 is provided within its bore 11 with an inwardly directed annular shoulder 12 and each of the bores 11 accommodates one of the connecting elements 9 and 10, respectively, whose enlarged heads 13 and 14 abut against the respective shoulders 12. The elements 9 and are screw threadedly connected with one another so that they can be turned with reference to one another about a turning axis 8 which simultaneously constitutes the pivot axis about which the sections 1 and 2 may be angularly displaced with reference to one another.

In accordance with my invention, the novel displacing means is constituted in the illustrated embodiment by a torsion spring 19 which is located in the enlarged boreportion intermediate the shoulders 12; the opposite ends 15 and 16 of the torsion spring 19 are connected with the respective shoulders 12, as illustrated, so that, when the sections 1 and 2 are angularly displaced with reference to one another about .the axis 8 in one direction the spring 19 will be wound more tightly, whereas when sections 1 and 2 are displaced about the axis 8 in opposite direction the spring 19 will be unwound. The rest position of the sections 1 and 2 is illustrated in the drawing. Regardless of the direction in which the sections 1 and 2 are displaced with reference to one another about the axis 8, the torsion spring 19 will always attempt to return to its equilibrium condition, that is the condition which it assumes when the sections 1 and 2 are in the illustrated position and when the spring is not subjected to winding or unwinding stresses. Accordingly, this tendency results in the exertion of torsional forces upon the sec tions 1 and 2, with which the spring 19 is connected by virtue of the fact that its ends 15 and 16 are connected with the shoulders 12 of the respective sections 1 and 2. The sections 1 and 2 are thereby urged to return to their rest position as illustrated, with the advantageous consequences which have been outlined as desirable in the introductory portions of the specifications.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing in any way from the scope and concept of my present invention. Thus, the sections 1 and 2 which advantageously consist of synthetic plastic material although other material is also suitable, and which advantageously may have a general configuration reminiscent of the configuration and/ or size of the building blocks B, may be provided with additional coupling portions such as undercut grooves 18 located in their lateral faces as opposed to the coupling portions 4 and 5 which are provided at the respective end faces of the sections 1 and 2. In addition to or in place of the undercut grooves 18 there may be provided coupling heads corresponding to the coupling head 4 of section 1, just as it is evident that the provision of coupling means on the lateral faces of sections 1 and 2 may not only be in addition to but in place of the provision of the coupling portions 4 and 5 on the end faces.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

'What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In a toy building kit, in combination, at least two toy building blocks each provided with at least one undercut connecting portion; and coupling means for coupling said toy building blocks to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement, said coupling means comprising two coupling sections each provided with at least one connecting portion adapted to mate with a respective one of said undercut connecting portions of each of said building blocks, said coupling sections further having two juxtaposed faces provided with respective axially aligned bores, joint means received in said aligned bores and joining said coupling sections to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement from a rest position to a displaced position, and restoring means associated with said coupling sections permanently tending to transversely displace said faces away from one another and being operative for restoring said coupling sections to said rest position in response to angular displacement from said rest position to a displaced position.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, said coupling sections being elongated and each including a substantially plate-shaped projecting portion extending in direction of elongation of the respective section and provided with a respective one of said faces, said restoring means being provided between and in engagement with said faces of said plate-shaped projecting portions.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, at least said sections consisting of synthetic plastic material.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1, said restoring means including a torsion spring.

5. A combination as defined in claim 1, said undercut connecting portions comprising undercut grooves and projecting undercut connecting heads.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1, said torsion spring having opposite ends each connected to one of said sections.

7. A combination as defined in claim 2, said joint means comprising a tubular bushing received in said aligned bores.

8. A combination as defined in claim 2, said restoring means including torsion-bar means.

9. A combination as defined in claim 2, said restoring means including a spiral spring axially compressed between said juxtaposed faces and having opposite ends each connected to one of said sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cartensen 4622X Calverley 4622 Czecholinski 4626X Christiansen 4626 Koch 4629 Fischer 4626 Spier 46214X F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner 

